Life is Scary
by almostlover-hopelessdream
Summary: February and Krayonder find an interesting photo...


**SO APPARENTLY I LIKE TO _STEAL _STORIES! SHE'S SAID I CAN KEEP THIS UP BUT I MUST'VE TAKEN 'INSPIRATION' FROM DAISYDOODLE'S STORY 'PROOF' - READ IT, LOVE IT, IT'S AWESOME AND IT'S THE ORIGINAL!  
**

**So here's a one-shot I finished ages ago and just never published - yeah... it's not the best... enjoy!**

* * *

"Come _on, _Krayonder!" February whisper-yelled from inside of their Commander's room.

Krayonder stood staring at the dark room looking terrified for his life, "February, if we get caught Taz is going to skin us alive!"

She sighed and stomped out of the door, grabbing his hand and pulling him in, "But we _won't _get caught, Taz and Up are training. He won't be back for another couple of hours _at least_. Now hurry or we _will _get caught!"

Krayonder groaned but allowed his friend to drag him into the Commander's quarters, "Woah, man! Check out the _size _of this place! Man, if I had a room like this, I'd never leave! Why are we here again?"

She shook her head whilst rifling through some drawers that contained nothing but t-shirts and underwear, "Because we need to find proof that Taz and Up are dating! Or that they like each other at the very least. I'm not buying all this 'best friends' bullshit. Have you seen the way they look at each other? It's totally cute and he's _so _into her. She likes him too but she's too proud to admit it."

"Uhh, Feb? I don't really think Taz or Up are the kind to keep diaries talking all about their love, what exactly are you trying to find?" He asked, idly opening up the Commander's wardrobe and flicking through his casual clothes.

"Oh I don't know, Kray! Some of her clothes, maybe?"

Krayandor stopped what he was doing and turned around with a bewildered look on his face, "What would that have to do with them being a couple?"

She gave him a look that said 'you really are as dumb as you look'. "Her clothes being in his room would mean that she's probably slept here, which _obviously _means they've done it!"

Krayandor shot his friend a look, "Dude, they're _best friends. _They were in the Robot Wars together; they probably ended up sharing a _sleeping bag _then. It doesn't mean they're _together_! It just means they're close!"

February pretended not to listen and looked through the single drawer in Up's bedside table, "A-_ha! _Then how do you explain this, Mr They're-Totally-Platonic?" She brought out a simple photo of Taz and Up at the beach; Up was topless and Taz seemed to be wearing his thin, white button-up shirt over her swimsuit, showing her tanned, bare legs. Taz was leaning with her back against a rock while Up sat between her legs leaning backwards into her with his head on her chest, looking up at her, grinning like a lovesick fool. Taz's smile was less obvious as she stared down into his eyes and seemed to be idly playing with his hair.

"Dude, how did they even take this picture? One, who would Taz and Up allow to see them like that? Two, who would take a picture of them like this and live? And three, who would even go to the beach with them in the first place?"

"Oh, get a clue, Krayandor! Look at this picture, it's obviously professional. It was probably taken by one of those guys who walk around snapping people on their holidays and then charging them to get the picture!"

"Where the hell do you store this information?"

February grinned and said, "Now people think I'm stupid, but I'm not! I'm just smart when it comes to i_mportant _things_. _Like finding out whether or not our Commander and Lieutenant are dating!"

"And why would that be any of your business, _perra_?" A deadly-sounding Mexican voice came from behind them. The pair whipped around and began talking at the same time.

"Oh, Taz! Hey, we were just-"

"It was her idea, man! Don't hurt me!"

"Krayonder!"

"I'm sorry, man. She has a knife! And it _really _hurts when she makes me walk into it!"

"_Callate! _I want you two _out _of Up's room. Now." The two began slinking past Taz, thanking the long-dead God they were still alive, "_Espera!_ What do you have in your hand?" February froze, still clutching onto the beach picture and debated running for it. "Don't even think about it, airhead. Let me see."

Shakily, she handed Taz the picture and watched as she became very still, she looked up and locked eyes with February. Krayonder finally understood the phrase 'if looks could kill'.

"_Uno, _you will tell _no one _that you found this picture, okay?" The two nodded their heads quickly, shaking with fear. "_Dos, _you will forget you ever saw this picture or I will _make_ you forget. And _tres, _as I technically cannot punish you as this is not my room, you will report to Up at 9 o'clock. _Entender?_"

"Taz?" Up called from down the hall, "You coming back to training?"

"_Mierda!_" Taz cried, hastily shoving the picture into her pocket, "You two better be ready for a bollocking." The two terrified rangers shared a quick fearful look before turning towards the door.

"Or do you want to hang out here for the rest of the d- oh. Hello rangers. What brings you here? To my room? With Taz?"

"I found them snooping around jour room, said you'll deal with them later." Taz was, surprisingly, not glaring at Krayonder and February but at Up.

"Well, can I ask what you two rangers were hoping to find in my room?" Taz's glare fixed itself on the pair and they cowered away,

"They can tell you later, but now, _I _need to talk to you. Alone." Up jumped at the coldness of her voice,

"Very well, rangers, you are dismissed." They hurried out, thankful for their lives and Krayonder turned to go down the hall,

"Kray! Where are you _going_? We need to listen to what they're saying, _alone, _in Up's room."

"February! They're probably plotting our murder or something!" She ignored him and pushed her ear against the door. Krayonder, unable to resist gossip, sighed and followed her lead.

"…and when were you going to tell me? Were you just going to keep that picture forever and hope I wouldn't find out? I _told _you to get rid of it, Up!"

"Woah, Taz is really angry about that picture, man!"

* * *

Up grunted as Taz pushed him in the chest, she'd been waving his not-so-well hidden beach picture in his face since the two rangers were kicked out. He grabbed both of her wrists and let her run her steam; he'd learnt that was the best way to deal with Taz and her rages.

"You know I hate that picture, Up! Why do you have it? Up? _Why?_" She screamed at him, trying to get her hands free.

"Because I like it… Taz, it's just a picture." She tried to attack him but his grip on her wrists were too tight,

"_Just _a picture? I look _estupido_, like a silly little _chica_!"

"…So this is a vanity thing?" Up smirked, letting go of her wrists and wrapping his arms around her waist.

"You better shut up before I hurt you. I don't even know why I agreed to go to the beach with you!" She wiggled, trying to get free of his grasp. He moved in closer so their noses were almost touching,

"Yes, you do." He whispered, his breath tickling her face.

* * *

"What's going on in there, man? I can't hear a thing!" Krayonder whispered to February who looked like a little kid on Christmas day,

"_I think he's trying something with her!" _She almost screeched, luckily he slammed his hand over her mouth before she made too much noise.

* * *

"Up, I don't want to talk about that night; it was a mistake, _entender? __No__volverá a suceder._" She avoided eye contact and pushed him gently away.

"That's bullshit, Taz and you know it! If you regretted it that much you wouldn't have come to the beach with me the day after!" He punched the wall, "And you certainly wouldn't have done the things we did on the beach." He added in a whisper.

* * *

On the other side of the door, February was hyperventilating.

"Woah, man, you don't look so good!"

"I knew it!" She gasped, trying to steady her spinning head.

* * *

"Keep your mouth shut, _idiota_! That was a private beach, that _estupido _photographer wasn't even supposed to be there! It's not like anyone _saw_."

"So, is that how it is with us? You fuck me but as long as no one knows then it doesn't count? Huh?"

Taz grabbed his shoulders and slammed him against the wall, "I said _shut up_. I'm your Lieutenant. It's not allowed. I don't care about you in that way, okay? It was a one-time thing and I didn't mean to give you the wrong idea. _Lo siento._"

Up stared at her, "That is the biggest load of crap I have ever heard. You don't even believe one word. You came to me that night, remember?" He spun her around so her back was pushing into the wall.

"It was a mistake." She breathed, trying to regulate her breathing,

"Yeah? Leave then." He released her and sat on the edge of his bed, watching her.

She completely froze and stared at him, "_Que? _Up, don't be _ridiculo_."

"I'm not being ridiculous, go back to your room, I can't be close to someone who knows how I feel and wants to use me."

She began almost choking, "U-Up, come on, be serious. You're really considering jeopardizing this whole friendship because of this? Are you _loco? _This happened _weeks _ago. Why now?"

"BECAUSE I THOUGHT THAT WE COULD'VE HAD SOMETHING!" They were both nearly in tears,

"Up, don't do this! I can't- I can't be with you. _Pero_ don't shut me out. _Por favor._"

* * *

"February, we should leave, it's not fair for us to see them like this."

"Krayonder, are you _insane? _She's about to break!"

* * *

Up stormed up to her and looked her directly in the eye, "Fine, then look me in the eyes and tell me that you don't love me as much as I love you."

Her breath caught in her throat and she glanced away, "It's not right…"

He grabbed her chin and forcefully pulled her face back to his, "TELL ME!"

"I CAN'T."

"And why the hell not?" She looked away, tears building rapidly in her eyes,

"Maybe you're right and we do need a break from each other." She began walking away, despite the ache in her heart telling her to stay.

"Why can't you just tell me you love me?" He called, his voice filled with desperation,

"_Porque _I'm scared!" She screamed, whirling around, tears down her face. "I don't know what I'm doing, Up." She sobbed, her voice cracking.

"I don't know either. What I do know is that I love you. And that I want to be with you. Is that too much to ask?"

"But the others-"

"Won't judge."

"The League-"

"Won't care."

"Up, I've never done anything like this before. Can't we just go back to being _amigos?_"

"No way in hell." He walked up to her, pushed her gently against the wall and began kissing her.

Despite every single cell in her body telling her to leave, Taz forced herself to respond, gently prising his lips open and deepening the kiss.

"_Te amo._" She whispered, so quietly he could've imagined it.

* * *

Krayonder picked up a protesting February and dragged her away from the door, vowing to find a way to make her not tell anyone about what they'd heard.


End file.
